How to Wear Pastels in Fall and Winter
When fall and winter’s cold, gray skies get you down, think about adding some pretty pastels into your wardrobe.
Soft, gentle pastel colors, like baby blue, pale pink, buttercup yellow, and mint green, used to be reserved for spring and summer. Now they’re chic all year round. Here’s how to wear these sweet pastels to look sophisticated in cold weather.
1. Wear a Pastel Sweater
One of the keys to looking fabulous in winter pastels is to choose heavier fabrics so the pastel colors look intentional. For example, a knit top or pastel sweater is the perfect thing to begin with.
This peachy-pink bubble sweater has a lot of beautiful texture, which also plays up the cold weather vibe. Pair it with jeans for a great weekend look.
2. Bundle up In a Pastel Statement Coat or Cardigan
A gorgeous pastel coat is another great way to wear pastels in winter. Keep your look minimal so the gorgeous pastel color can speak for itself. This beautiful blue wrap coat pops and makes a dramatic statement.
3. Combine Pastels with Neutrals
A foolproof way to pull off pastels is to mix them with neutral colors like black, white, gray, navy taupe, cream, or brown. This grounds the light and delicate pastel shades and makes them look less sweet and more sophisticated.
You can even mix pastels with neutral prints like the houndstooth cropped pants I’m wearing in the photo at the top of this post. This makes for a classic look with a feminine, modern kick.
4. Mix Pastels
Can you combine pastels, or is that too much? It’s personal taste. Try to keep it to one of two pastel shades for the chicest look.
5. Wear Jewel Tones with Pastels
Another color mix that is modern and fresh is a jewel tone combined with a pastel. For example, a baby blue blouse with a royal blue skirt can be a real head-turner.
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Great ideas.
Such inspiring ideas you are sharing here. So I decided to transfer your advice and will be sharing Pastels and Trenchcoats starting next week on my Over40 fashion blog, Oceanblue Style
Sabina OceanblueStyle
I am fashion/shopping dysfunctional and have always had to use a stylist, and there have been different ones over the years, but I have never had a core wardrobe, so I was happy to find your website. Now I’m not 40 (I wish I were) but 70 even though I’ve been told I don’t look it.
I live in Southern California, where it is almost 100 degrees; no one is pulling out their black fall wear (like in New York), and there are no rules. It seems every sales girl says, “Wear what you like.” No wonder we women who need help look frumpy! I like wearing my comfy pajamas but can’t do that when I need to go out.
I looked in my closet, saw it was bare, and called a stylist at an upscale department store. I ended up with one boxy, flowy outfit that the pieces couldn’t go with anything else I had, and the long necklace, which my son said looked like something from a craft fair, cost me $225.00. After I got home and took a breath away from all her “compliments,” I realized this was not me; too expensive, and everything went back except the new Coach bag.
Bottom line, spend some time, yes it can be time-consuming, to figure out what looks good on you, and don’t just take the word of a stylist whose goal may be to sell. This website has benefited me, and I want to say keep up the excellent work.
My “former ” stylist, if you’re reading this, you know who you are.
Hi Paula,
I’m so pleased you wrote. This is a great lesson for everyone. If you don’t feel good about it, don’t buy it. You’ve got to wear clothes that are authentic to who you are, that flatter your figure, and that you LOVE. I always say if you only like it when you buy it, you will hate it in a month. Good for you for having the strength to say no to that stylist by making the return. You know who you are, so having great style is essential. Cheers, Deborah
I can empathize with you. There is a boutique (for well-heeled, trendy middle-aged women) near where I live, and they spruik they can style and outfit you. Unfortunately, they say everything looks good when the outfit doesn’t. It isn’t enjoyable, because of the little confidence in anything they say and although I like many of their clothes, I usually buy them.
I do not doubt that there is an incredible energy in colors. Recently I found out that my synesthesia paintings emanate energy. Because of synesthesia, I see colors when I hear names and words. For years I have painted what I know; I paint phrases and inspirational talks. People recently told me they feel an energy flow from my paintings. They even recognize themselves in the pictures. This is so fascinating.
I love the fall pastels!